Two former teammates and international stalwarts are left unprotected by their current NWSL teams for the 2017 Expansion Draft, where they are selected by the newly-founded Philadelphia Hearts. Amidst individual trials that seek to isolate them from...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The staffs from the Vancouver Legacy and the Philadelphia Hearts were in their offices on speakerphone with NWSL Commissioner Amanda Duffy (given the title just last week at the end-of-year NWSL Owners' Meeting) for this morning's Expansion Draft. After explaining the rules (s-curve for selection, five-minute break after round five for the existing NWSL teams to protect an additional player, all teams must lose one player before any can lose a second), The Vancouver Legacy were on the clock.
Bev Priestman (Legacy GM): With the first pick in the 2017 NWSL Expansion Draft, the Vancouver Legacy select Christine Sinclair from the Portland Thorns.
The Hearts now had two selections before Vancouver would select their next pair.
Wendy Gebauer Palladino (Hearts GM): With our first-round selection, the Philadelphia Hearts take Ali Krieger from the Orlando Pride, and with our second selection, we take Stephanie Labbe from the Washington Spirit.
Following a couple of minutes of discussion, the Legacy called timeout, allowing their management team (Priestman, head coach Andrea Neil, assistant coach Emily Zurrer, goalkeeper coach Erin Mcleod, and captain Christine Sinclair) to further debate how to handle these two selections.
Andrea Neil: Bev, you know that we want Desiree Scott, but we need to choose someone from KC with a high enough trade value to flip her back for Des straight-up. As for the other choice, it should be Sabs.
Bev studied Kansas City's protected list. "Most of their unprotected players don't have enough value for us to get Des for her without having to add other players."
Emily Zurrer: Amy Rodriguez wasn't protected. Would she be someone we could get and then flip for Des the Destroyer?
Bev: Really?! Interesting....she would seem to be a high-enough quality player to give us a chance at getting her in a trade. If they don't bite, we'll have our starting forward pair set. Taking Sabs is really the only option at the position since Steph was already picked.
Bev turned the call back on and made the announcement. "Our next two selections are Amy Rodriguez from FC Kansas City and Sabrina D'Angelo from the North Carolina Courage."
With the Hearts now on the clock, they debate what to do with the second of their two picks.
Wendy: We're sold on Kristie Mewis for the first choice. What is the feeling about the second?
Erica: We could go right ahead and take McCaffrey since Chicago has yet to lose a player, or we could go for the hometowner Hoy.
Carm: I think we go Hoy and see who Chicago protects after the fifth round. If McCaffrey is taken off the board, we trade Hoy for her after the moratorium. If not, we try to pick her up or work with the Legacy to get her should they pick her instead.
